Acne tips for teens

Developing acne has been a constant source of embarrassment, and fear, among teenagers. This is specifically hyped up because the image conscious society has convinced these young people that true beauty lies in silky smooth skin. Even just a couple of zits turn out to be the biggest nightmare of all, especially if a school dance, a prom or a big date is just days away.

Have you ever found yourself at your wits end trying to find ways to manage your skin problem? Well the good news is that there are ways to prevent and treat acne. So fret no more since here are some acne tips for teens and to clear them as fast as possible:

Cleanse

Wash your face no more than twice a day with warm water and mild acne soap. Gently massage your face in circular motions. Do not scrub. Do you know that over-washing and scrubbing can cause skin to become irritated? After cleansing, dermatologists recommend applying an over-the-counter lotion containing benzoyl peroxide that will decrease oil and bacteria.

No popping!

You may hate acne so much that you are tempted to immediately get rid of them by popping them out. This is a very bad idea since popping them can push infected material further into skin, leading to more swelling and redness and even scarring. What's worse, this could cause infection and might need hospital confinement for treatment.

Keep Clean

Avoid touching your face with dirty hands, or leaning your face on objects that collect germs like your mobile phone. Germs can cause pores to become inflamed and irritated. To keep them at bay, wash your hands before applying anything on your face, or disinfect your mobile phones with an ethyl alcohol.

Also, clean your eye or sunglasses frequently to keep oil from clogging the pores around your eyes and nose.

Remember to remove your makeup before you go to sleep. Choose makeup brands that are "non-comedogenic" or "non-occlusive". These makeups are recommended for acne-prone individuals and have shown to reduce the occurrences of blemishes.

Keep hair clean and out of your face to prevent additional dirt and oil from clogging your pores up.

Protect your skin from the sun

Tanning can cause the body to produce extra sebum which may worsen your acne, and it also cause damage to skin and increase your risk of having skin cancer.

If your acne persists, then maybe it's time to seek professional help and consult a dermatologist. A dermatologist can help you find the treatment method that's best for your skin type and also advice you on how to deal with acne. But if all the tips fails, and after blowing your school budget on over-the-counter prescriptions or spending consultation fees with dermatologists, and it still leaves you with an acne filled face, then maybe it's just one of those growing up pains. Maybe your parents are right when they assure you that your acne will clear as you grow older. So the best way is to keep your hopes high, stay positive and surround yourself with friends that will appreciate and love you with or without acne.